


Christmas Candy Grams

by auroraphilealis (athousandrosepetals)



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Candygram, Christmas, Getting Together, M/M, Office, Secret Admirer, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-22 00:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13155060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/athousandrosepetals/pseuds/auroraphilealis
Summary: Dan gets a candy gram at his workplace from a secret admirer calling him an angel, but Dan has absolutely no idea who it could be.





	Christmas Candy Grams

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer** : In no way do I pretend that this is real or cast aspersions on Dan or Phil.

He’d received the candy gram a week ago, sat innocuously in his gift basket at work on the 17th of December. When Dan had first caught sight of it, he’d thought it was some kind of joke; he wasn’t particularly well liked around the office, mostly because he was awkward and clumsy, and in the three years he’d worked there he’d never once received any kind of gift from anyone, let alone a candy gram for Christmas.

All around him, his co-workers gift baskets seemed overflowing with silly gifts and candy canes from the rest of the office. Dan’s alone held nothing but the one, single candy gram, with nothing but a simple note attached. In a way, it was an even sadder sight than if Dan’s gift basket had remained empty the way it normally did at this time of year, and he’d originally picked it up with a bitter taste in his mouth.

Had someone really felt that bad for him they’d paid actual money to get Dan a pity gift?

Dan had been so ashamed he’d actually stuffed the candy cane into his trouser pocket and promptly forgotten about it for the rest of the day, but by the time he’d gotten home he hadn’t been able to ignore it any longer. He’d emptied his pockets the way he normally did, keys and wallet clattering to the table, and out came the candy cane with the little note attached that Dan had done such a good job of ignoring all day.

He’d fully planned to throw it away, not so much as risking a look at the note that had been attached, too afraid it would say something patronizing, or better yet, _kind_. However, curiosity had gotten the best of Dan, and before he could toss it in the trash, Dan had picked the thing up and read the inscription.

_To: Dan_

_From: Somebody_

_For Christmas, I asked Santa for a new boyfriend, but I guess Santa was busy because God sent me an Angel instead._

_Merry Christmas, Dan_

The words had been a complete and utter shock. Dan couldn’t lie in saying they made his heart beat double time in his chest, and while he’d felt warm tingles flash through him at the very thought of someone feeling that way about him, he hadn’t fully been able to believe it.

For the first two days, Dan had been convinced it was joke. He was certain that someone was going to ask him about the candy gram he’d received at work, and as soon as he told the others what the card had said, and admitted he thought he might have a secret admirer, the person who’d written the card was going to jump out and make fun of him for hoping, laughing in his face and making a mockery out of the sweet note that had been written for him.

Who could possibly think of Dan as an angel? When was the last time Dan had even been flirted with, let alone actually had a partner? Surely, surely the whole thing was just a joke.

But on the third day, when still no one had come up to him and asked him about the candy gram, Dan had started to hope, and with that hope came the desire to suss out just who had decided to send the note to him.

Awkward, unknown, and largely ignored by his peers, Dan hadn’t even had anyone to ask for help. He wasn’t even sure most of his co-workers knew he existed, outside of asking him to take on their workload for him, and figured talking about the note would just make the others make fun of him, so he’d kept it quiet at first.

But then the days wore on, and Christmas drew near, and Dan couldn’t help the desperate desire to find out who his secret admirer was. On the 22nd, Dan had given in and approached HR, the people running the company candy grams that year, and begged to know who in the office had bought Dan a gift, but the people in HR had merely stared at Dan as if they’d never once seen him before - which they hadn’t - and asked him what his name was again, shrugging their shoulders and shaking their heads when they realized if they didn’t know Dan, then there was no way in hell they’d know the person who’d sent him the gram.

Dan had turned away, disappointed, when someone the HR department _did_ know approached, and they all got the chatting and laughing as the someone ordered three candy grams for that one girl he had a crush on over in law.

Dejected, Dan had returned to his desk, and all but given up.

Now it was Christmas eve, and Dan was working late in the office as always. There had been a steady flow of case files that needed to be logged all day, only growing larger and larger as the hours wore on and his co-workers realized they weren’t going to have time to get home early for Christmas if they didn’t get someone to take care of their case files for them.

Dan had been the easy target, the same person who always got bogged down with everyone else’s extra work, and he hadn’t even batted an eye when the last person had come up to him that night begging Dan to write up this last report so they could make it home before midnight. It had been ten pm then, and now it was pushing three am.

Dan’s eyes were tired, his heart hanging heavy in his chest, as he finally shut down his computer for the night and packed up his things to head home. His steps were slow as he made his way to the lift and down to the bottom floor, the rest of the office pretty much closed down for the night, and the outside world almost completely deserted for the holidays.

Dan wasn’t even sure he’d manage a taxi that night, and he sighed as he stepped out of the lift only to nearly run face first into the chest of a man he knew all too well: Philip Lester, the guy from tech with the handsome face and blue, blue eyes.

Dan’s mouth dropped open as he stumbled backwards and gawked at the only other human being in the entire building.

“I - I - Mr. Lester!” Dan stuttered. “I didn’t expect to see you here. What are you doing here so late?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Phil replied with a little chuckle, lifting a light eyebrow at Dan as he smiled down at him.

Dan found himself blushing in return, and he ducked his head in embarrassment to have been caught in the office so late.

“I was just - finishing up some last minute work before the holidays,” Dan explained lamely, hoping that Phil wouldn’t push beyond that explanation.

“Mmhmm,” Phil hummed in response, but didn’t move from where he was stood in front of Dan now. Dan risked a glance up at him, only to find Phil smirking at him. “You mean, everybody _else’s_ last minute work, right?”

At that, Dan found himself blushing harder, and ducked his head all over again, fringe hiding the darkening of his cheeks.

“Right,” he muttered in reply, mortified. “Maybe. You know how it is.”

“Yeah, I do,” Phil replied, and his voice had gone all soft and understanding. Dan had been hoping for pity at most, but at the sound of sincerity coming from Phil, Dan looked up once more, and found himself captivated by blue eyes.

He’d always thought Phil was handsome, but tonight, he was absolutely radiant.

“You know,” Phil said, turning in such a way that indicated he expected Dan to follow, before moving towards the front doors of the office, briefcase in one hand, and the other shoved deep into his pocket. Dan followed behind hurriedly, nervously. “You really shouldn’t let those guys keep pushing you around. You have a life too, you know.”

Dan felt regret burn deep in his gut, and was suddenly glad Phil was no longer looked at him to see the shame on Dan’s face.

“Yeah, well, not so much,” Dan admitted despite himself. “It’s fine. I’m sure whatever they’re going home to is more important than me. All I’ve got to look forward to is crappy netflix shows and anime.”

As soon as the words were out of Dan’s mouth, he wanted to hit himself, but it was too late now. He’d let the cat out of the bag, shameful as it was, and cursed his inability to function like a normal human being. Why did he have to be so goddamn awkward that the weirdest things came out of his mouth?

Phil didn’t laugh, though. Not the way Dan had been expecting. No, instead, he stopped walking so that Dan actually stumbled into him, and when he turned, he had a look of burning earnestness on his face that made Dan’s heart nearly stop in his chest.

“Don’t say that,” Phil said. “Don’t say that anyone else’s life is more important than yours. You deserve the holiday off too, and you shouldn’t be the _only_ one here clocking over time. You’re too good for that, angel.”

The words were like honey dripped off his tongue, but rather than sounding like a line, or someone trying to butter Dan up, they sounded sincere. They were so sincere, in fact, that Dan actually had to stop and catch his breath, absolutely captivated by the look in Phil’s eyes and the way he made Dan feel like he was catching on fire from the inside.

That’s when the pet name hit Dan, and he realized with a jolt that it was _Phil_. Phil had sent the christmas gram. Phil had called Dan an _angel_.

“It - it was you!” Dan stuttered out, eyes going wide as he reached out and pointed at Phil’s chest. “You sent that christmas gram! But - but - _why_?” Dan couldn’t help himself from asking, suddenly unsure the gift had been from a secret admirer, because there was no way in _hell_ Phil had a crush on _him_.

Phil’s face went still for a moment, and then his cheeks colored slightly, and he glanced away, dark fringe falling into his eyes. His lips were quirked in a smirk as he let out a soft chuckle, and reached up to cover his mouth. Despite the laughter, the smirk, Dan suddenly wasn’t afraid that this had all just been some elaborate joke, because Phil looked _embarrassed_ , and Dan didn’t think it was embarrassment at being caught, so to speak.

Phil was _nervous_.

“Well… yeah,” Phil finally replied after a moment. “And isn’t it obvious why?” he continued, turning his piercing gaze back to Dan and staring so hard it looked like he was seeing straight through him. “It’s cause I like you.”

And that, well, that was a true Christmas miracle if ever Dan had known one because _what?_

“What?”

Phil laughed again, this time his eye crinkling up and his tongue poking out between his teeth. He wasn’t trying to cover his face anymore, and his cheeks were still red, but now he looked _fond_ as he reached out with a gloved hand to press his fingers lightly over Dan’s.

“I like you, silly. Obviously. I just - hadn’t quite planned on when to tell you,” Phil continued, shrugging guilty. “I figured a christmas gram was a good place to start. Sorry the uh - note was so cheesy, though. Doesn’t make it any less true.”

Dan’s heart nearly lept in his chest at the admission, at the way it made Phil duck his head away like he was embarrassed at admitting that truth, and felt his own lips pulling up into an uncertain grin. The idea of Phil Lester, _the_ Phil Lester, liking Dan, seemed preposterous, and yet Dan was warming up to the idea.

He couldn’t help it, not when Phil was looking at him like _that_ , his hand pressed to Dan’s like he wanted to hold onto it forever, and yet light enough that he’d let go if Dan asked him too.

Dan didn’t want Phil to let go. That was the last thing he ever wanted to do.

So instead, he laughed.

“You like me, huh?” he teased, unable to help the way he was beginning to beam, cheeks hurting from the force of his grin.

Phil chuckled in reply, and squeezed Dan’s hand in turn.

“Yeah,” he promised. “I really do.”

And that was something that Dan could get used to believing.

“All right then,” Dan replied, “Prove it then.”

His heart was racing in his chest, and he couldn’t _really_ believe he was doing this, and yet he was. Dan found himself biting his lips, tempted to bat his eyelashes at Phil, anything to make this tight feeling in his chest disappear, to relieve the happy tension building in him, the giddy relief that this might actually be real.

“Prove it?” Phil said back, eyes taken aback, but smile no less genuine. Before Dan could regret his choice of words, Phil was stepping closer in the middle of the lobby, until he was practically right up in Dan’s personal space.

Dan nodded his head, still grinning. “Yeah, prove it.”

“How?” Phil asked, eyes furrowed, but serious. “Just tell me how, and I will.”

Dan’s heart fluttered all over again.

Was this real? Was _Phil_ real?

There was only one way to find out.

“Come home with me. I’m guessing, if you were here until nearly four in the morning, you can’t possibly have any Christmas plans, so spend it with me,” Dan asked, slightly unsure, nervous, and yet still hopeful.

When Phil beamed at him, seeming relieved that this was something he could actually _do_ , Dan felt the tightness in his chest release at the same time as butterflies filled his stomach.

“That, I can do,” Phil promised, and squeezed Dan’s hand tighter in his.

**

“So… anime, huh?”

“Shut up!”

“Which one’s your favorite? Mine’s _Magi._ ”

“... _Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood_.”

“Really? I’ve never seen that one.”

“You - what!? Alright, come on, Christmas plans _sorted_!”


End file.
